Shirt having closable shoulder seam opening

ABSTRACT

A treatment enabling shirt for allowing access to a wearer&#39;s PICC without requiring the removal of the wearer&#39;s shirt. The treatment enabling shirt comprises a base shirt having a closeable opening running from the collar portion along the shoulder seam area (on a shoulder seam or otherwise directly above the shoulder area of thereof). The closeable opening is defined by a slit in the fabric of the shirt along the shoulder seam area, from the collar portion to the sleeve portion. The slit creates a first fastening area and a second fastening area, which are configured to releasably attach to each other with respective components of a hook and loop fastener.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to an article of clothing adapted to be worn on the upper portion of a user and, more particularly, to a shirt having a closeable opening disposed on the shoulder seam to the neckline

2. Description of the Prior Art

The construction of shirts adapted to fit over the torso and, in many cases, the arms of a wearer, is well known. Through such construction, they may provide covering and warmth to those portions of a wearer. But because of such a construction, removal of shirts is customarily required to access any portion of the user's torso covered by the shirt.

The receipt medical treatment in a hospital or doctor's office is a common occurrence for many individuals. Depending on the type of treatment to be received, there are often temporary inconveniences associated with the receipt of such treatment. Inconveniences may include pain or immobility are often associated with the treatment and cannot be avoided. Others, such as removal of certain articles of clothing, may be thought to be unavoidable simply due to the constraints of the clothing. To wit, when receiving chemotherapy, it is understood that in order to provide a medical professional with access to a patient's peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), the patient must remove her shirt. But as hospitals typically maintain a cold environment to help minimize microbial growth, the removal of a shirt to receive such treatment often causes the patient to be cold and uncomfortable. Thus, there remains a need for a shirt adapted to permit access to the wearer's torso area while still being worn through a closeable opening on the shoulder seam. It would be helpful if such a treatment enabling shirt provided access to a PICC of a wearer without requiring the shirt's removal. It would be additionally desirable for such a treatment enabling shirt to be able to be selectively placed in a closed or open orientation depending on whether access to the torso area is necessary.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a wearable shirt adapted to provide selectable access to a part of a wearer's torso through a closeable opening on the shoulder seam. The primary components of Applicant's treatment enabling shirt are a shirt and a releasable fastener. When in operation, the treatment enabling shirt allows selectable access to a PICC of a wearer without requiring the shirt's removal through a closeable opening on the shoulder seam. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art shirt constructions are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A treatment enabling shirt for allowing access to a wearer's PICC without requiring the removal of the wearer's shirt. The treatment enabling shirt comprises a base shirt having a closeable opening running from the collar portion along the shoulder seam area (on a shoulder seam or otherwise directly above the shoulder area of thereof). It is understood that the base shirt provides a shirt means for covering. The closeable opening is defined by a slit in the fabric of the shirt along the shoulder seam area, from the collar portion to the sleeve portion. The slit creates a first fastening area and a second fastening area, which are configured to releasably attach to each other with respective components of a hook and loop fastener. Through the hook and loop fastener, the first fastening area can be selectively fastened to the second fastening area by engaging the respective hook and loop fastener components thereon in order to close the closeable opening. Conversely, the first fastening area can be pulled apart from the second fastening area to open the closeable opening. In this regard, the closeable opening provides an opening means disposed on said shirt means for providing access to the torso area under the shirt means.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shirt adapted to permit access to the wearer's torso area while still being worn through a closeable opening on the shoulder seam.

It is another object of this invention to provide a treatment enabling shirt which provides access to a PICC of a wearer without requiring the shirt's removal.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a treatment enabling shirt able to be selectively placed in a closed or open orientation depending on whether access to the torso area is necessary.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a treatment enabling shirt built in accordance with the present invention having its closeable opening open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, a treatment enabling shirt 10 built in accordance with the present invention is shown a base shirt 11 having a closeable opening 12. The base shirt 11 is substantially defined as a conventional shirt having a conventional collar portion 11 a and with said closeable opening 12 running from the collar portion 11 a along the shoulder seam area (on a shoulder seam or otherwise directly above the shoulder area of thereof). It is contemplated that the base shirt 11 may be embodied as a short sleeve shirt or a long sleeve shirt, as well as having any one of a plurality of collar styles.

The closeable opening 12 is defined by a slit in the fabric of the shirt along the shoulder seam area, from the collar portion 11 a to the sleeve portion 11 b. It is contemplated, however, that in some embodiments, while remaining over the shoulder seam area, the closeable opening 12 may not extend all the way to the sleeve portion 11 b or may not originate all the way at the collar portion 11 a. The slit creates a first fastening area 13 a and a second fastening area 13 b, which are configured to releasably attach to each other through a fastening surface. In the preferred embodiment, the fastening surface is defined corresponding portions of a hook and loop fastener, whereby the first fastening area 13 a is covered or otherwise includes the hook component of a hook and loop fastener and the second fastening area 13 b is covered or otherwise includes the loop component of a hook and loop fastener. In this regard, the first fastening area 13 a can be selectively fastened to the second fastening area 13 b by engaging the respective hook and loop fastener components thereon in order to close the closeable opening 12. When access the wearer's torso is sought, the first fastening area 13 a can be pulled apart from the second fastening area 13 b, creating the closeable opening 12 through which access to the PICC or other area of the wearer's torso may be obtained.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the base shirt includes a closeable opening on both shoulder seams on either sides of the neck.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A treatment enabling shirt, comprising: a base shirt having a collar portion; a closeable opening defined by a slit in the shoulder seam area of the base shirt which creates a first fastening surface and a second fastening surface, wherein said first fastening surface is adapted to releasably attach to the second fastening surface through at least one fastener.
 2. The treatment enabling shirt of claim 1, wherein said first fastening surface is adapted to releasably attach to the second fastening surface through a hook and loop fastener.
 3. The treatment enabling shirt of claim 2, wherein said first fastening surface includes a first component of the hook and loop fastener and said second fastening surface includes a second component of the hook and loop fastener and the second component is to opposite, corresponding component to the first component.
 4. The treatment enabling shirt of claim 3, wherein the first component is defined by a hook component of the hook and loop fastener and the second component is defined by a loop component of the hook and loop fastener.
 5. The treatment enabling shirt of claim 1, wherein said slit extends to the collar portion.
 6. The treatment enabling shirt of claim 1, wherein said slit extends from the collar portion to a sleeve area on said base shirt.
 7. A treatment enabling shirt, comprising: a shirt means for covering; an opening means disposed on said shirt means for providing access to the torso area under the shirt means. 